Norwegian dog disease": what danger it poses
Suspected cases of "Norwegian dog disease in Germany? What danger it poses
Reports of a deadly dog disease in Germany, which has already claimed dozens of dogs' lives in Norway, are worrying pet owners. What is behind the "Norwegian dog sickness – and what dog owners need to be aware of? stern has spoken with the attending veterinarian.
Bloody diarrhea, vomiting – and in the worst case even death after only a few hours. These are symptoms and causes of the disease, which has been rampant in Norway since early September. So far, 42 dogs have contracted Norwegian dog disease in the Scandinavian country, according to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, which is investigating the cases died, more than 170 sick animals have been reported. The stern reported.
Now there were also in Germany first suspicious cases, as the stern on inquiry with the responsible authorities got confirmed. According to the report, at the end of October in Boizenburg in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, three dogs were seriously ill. All animals died. The NDR had already reported on these cases at the end of October.
Veterinarian Katharina Wiener from Boizenburg, who had all dogs in treatment and finally also reported the unusual cases to the local district administration, speaks to stern of a very untypical accumulation. A sample was taken from the third dog and the germ was isolated. It is Providencia alcalifaciens. Wiener emphasizes, however, that it is not possible to say whether this is the cause of the disease and that this germ occurs in very many areas in the environment. This is how it is found in the intestines of humans and animals.
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Disease not transmissible
The dogs would have been very old and also had pre-existing conditions, Wiener adds. Therefore, the first two animals were not examined in detail. In the case of the third dog, however, this was done because of the accumulation of cases and the said germ was cultivated. However, by the time the result was known, the dog had already been buried, so that a proper official confirmation was no longer possible. Wiener emphasizes that the disease is not transmissible from dog to dog. This was confirmed by samples taken from other dogs. The disease is also not dangerous to humans.
Andreas Bonin, press spokesman for the district of Ludwigslust-Parchim, where Boizenburg is located, told stern that the three deceased dogs could be confirmed, but not the proof that it is actually the "Norwegian dog disease" act. According to his knowledge, a more detailed investigation could not be carried out, because the dogs were already buried when the county was informed, Bonin said. That it was the said disease, was a conjecture of the veterinarian, because the symptoms pointed to it.
Exhumation of dogs for investigation pointless
To his knowledge, exhumation would not help, Bonin added. The county's recommendation is to contact a veterinarian or go directly if symptoms appear. Wiener also believes that exhumation is useless because the samples are "fresh" either from a sick dog or a dog that has just died, according to the.
In Norway, reports of cases of the disease are coming in from all over the country; numerous breeds of dogs – from beagles to Yorkshire terriers – are said to be affected. "We currently know that there is a common pattern with very bloody intestinal infections. In three dogs, we have detected two bacteria in the intestine", said Jorun Jarp of the veterinary institute already in September opposite the Norwegian broadcast NRK. It is also known that one of the two bacteria can produce toxins, Jarp said.
Bacteria detected in dogs
The two bacteria in question are Clostridium perfringens and Providencia alcalifaciens. The exact cause of the bloody intestinal disease is still unknown. But the bacteria are an approach. The veterinary institute in Norway has autopsied 15 dead dogs, Providencia alcalifaciens was detected in twelve cases, Clostridium perfringens in "several dogs".
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority and the local veterinary institute suggest that the dog disease is "not very contagious", it says on the Internet side of the authority. Investigations and inquiries had shown that in most cases where several dogs lived in a group, only one dog had become ill. This coincides with the statement of Katharina Wiener. The Veterinary Institute of Norway considers it unlikely that there is a common denominator among the registered cases of the disease.
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Cause probably "multifactorial
It is emphasized that the development of a disease is probably "multifactorial" is. This means that the disease could be due to several coinciding factors, according to the authority. The Veterinary Institute and the Food Safety Authority have ruled out coronavirus, EHEC, salmonella or poisoning, among others, as possible causes. The list of other excluded factors is long.
A Norwegian veterinary hospital refers to "hemorrhagic gastroenteritis" in a Facebook post from September, something that is done "regularly, at least here in the clinic" see, usually in the fall and when it is wet. Ann Margaret Grøndahl, head of the Food Safety Authority, told NRK in September that "similar episodes" have occurred in other countries have given, for example, in the USA and Denmark.
Veterinarian advises: Keep calm!
Food safety agency generally advises dog owners to assess whether the dog is healthy and, if necessary, keep it away from other dogs. In addition, the four-legged friends should be given sufficient fresh air and exercise, dog excrement should be collected and disposed of in waste containers, and a veterinarian should be called or consulted if symptoms occur.
Basically, keep calm, according to veterinarian Wiener. Panic is a "disaster" in these cases. She and many of her colleagues, she says, are highly aware of the condition.
She advises: if the animal is sick, it should avoid contact with other dogs and you should be careful that the dog does not pick up things uncontrollably. However, this is basic advice, regardless of the disease as the veterinarian points out. If the dog really has symptoms such as bloody diarrhea or bloody vomiting, it should be presented to a veterinarian.